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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
People who commit Suicide	Crystal	Sunday, June 9, 2013
Question: Dear Brother, A group of acquaintances of mine were discussing recently, why so many people have committed suicide and especially those whom are Christian and Catholic. For example, my Uncle (now deceased) had a girlfriend and her son committed suicide. When hearing this, we were all shocked, as this young man was a Christian, worshipped God and had hope and faith. However my Uncle's girlfriend said that her son was depressed due to some health and financial problems that weren't getting better; which led to him killing himself. My question is, if a person feels this way and has called out to God for assistance with any struggles they may be going through; however succeed in taking their lives; doesn't God see this and wouldn't it be prevented before this type of act is committed or is it part of Satan plans to destroy. I always pray for those who are depressed that God will touch their lives and make things better; however I know that the struggles we may be going through, are lessons to make us stronger in our faith. If you could give your opinion and some insight on this, I would really be interested in knowing. Thank you, God Bless, Crystal
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC Dear Crystal: God will not force someone to stay alive. We each have Free Will, the ability to choose the actions we wish to take. Free Will is a gift from God, it is part of what is meant by being created in God's image. Only by Free Will are we able to love as love cannot be forced. But, with this freedom to love, is also the freedom to not love, to hate, to make bad decisions, to reject God. That is the risk that God takes in giving us Free Will. But, without Free Will we would not be made in His image, we would not be able to love, we would not be able to freely choose our actions. Without Free Will we would be just animals responding to instinct and environmental stimuli. We would no longer be human, but just intelligent apes. Free Will is like pregnancy. One cannot be 99% pregnant. Either you is, or you ain't. Either we have 100% Free Will, or we have none at all. Without Free Will we become non-human animals at best or mere puppets of a puppet master at worse. God loves us too much to allow that. He wants His children to love and that requires Free Will, even though it is a risk that His children will use that freedom to reject Him. God does, however, do all He can to convince a person to do that right thing. He will place in a person's path all the people, inspiration, events, or circumstances that might change a person's mind about suicide. But, God can never force the person to live. It is the choice of the person. God is compassionate in these situations. Although suicide is a grave sin, the act may not be counted as mortal sin (which sends you to hell) because of mitigating circumstances that impair the person's ability to truly choose freely. With most suicides the person is depressed, under some extreme duress, or mentally ill. These conditions may constitute "diminished responsibility." This idea from the Catholic Church is borrowed by secular criminal law (e.g., innocent by reason of insanity, or reduced charge due to the circumstances of the crime, etc.). In order for any grave sin to be "mortal", the person must make the decision to sin with eyes wide open without any impairments in his ability to freely choose. If any impediments are present, such as depression, extreme duress, or mental illness, then the person cannot really make a free decision and may be excused to one degree or another by God for his sin. This is the reason that the Church does not reject Christian suicides for funeral Masses or to be buried in a Christian cemetery as she did in times past. Once it was known that most suicides are a result of impaired emotions and thinking, it was clear that such persons were probably not freely making the decision, and thus may not be committing a mortal sin. Only God can know for sure, but Charity demands that we give these poor souls the benefit of the doubt. Here is the Catechism on the subject of suicide: Suicide 2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of. 2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God. 2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law. Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide. (my emphasis) 2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

People who commit Suicide

Crystal

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Question:

Dear Brother,

A group of acquaintances of mine were discussing recently, why so many people have committed suicide and especially those whom are Christian and Catholic.

For example, my Uncle (now deceased) had a girlfriend and her son committed suicide. When hearing this, we were all shocked, as this young man was a Christian, worshipped God and had hope and faith. However my Uncle's girlfriend said that her son was depressed due to some health and financial problems that weren't getting better; which led to him killing himself.

My question is, if a person feels this way and has called out to God for assistance with any struggles they may be going through; however succeed in taking their lives; doesn't God see this and wouldn't it be prevented before this type of act is committed or is it part of Satan plans to destroy.

I always pray for those who are depressed that God will touch their lives and make things better; however I know that the struggles we may be going through, are lessons to make us stronger in our faith.

If you could give your opinion and some insight on this, I would really be interested in knowing.

Thank you,
God Bless,
Crystal

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC

Dear Crystal:

God will not force someone to stay alive. We each have Free Will, the ability to choose the actions we wish to take.

Free Will is a gift from God, it is part of what is meant by being created in God's image. Only by Free Will are we able to love as love cannot be forced. But, with this freedom to love, is also the freedom to not love, to hate, to make bad decisions, to reject God.

That is the risk that God takes in giving us Free Will. But, without Free Will we would not be made in His image, we would not be able to love, we would not be able to freely choose our actions. Without Free Will we would be just animals responding to instinct and environmental stimuli. We would no longer be human, but just intelligent apes.

Free Will is like pregnancy. One cannot be 99% pregnant. Either you is, or you ain't. Either we have 100% Free Will, or we have none at all.

Without Free Will we become non-human animals at best or mere puppets of a puppet master at worse. God loves us too much to allow that. He wants His children to love and that requires Free Will, even though it is a risk that His children will use that freedom to reject Him.

God does, however, do all He can to convince a person to do that right thing. He will place in a person's path all the people, inspiration, events, or circumstances that might change a person's mind about suicide. But, God can never force the person to live. It is the choice of the person.

God is compassionate in these situations. Although suicide is a grave sin, the act may not be counted as mortal sin (which sends you to hell) because of mitigating circumstances that impair the person's ability to truly choose freely. With most suicides the person is depressed, under some extreme duress, or mentally ill. These conditions may constitute "diminished responsibility." This idea from the Catholic Church is borrowed by secular criminal law (e.g., innocent by reason of insanity, or reduced charge due to the circumstances of the crime, etc.).

In order for any grave sin to be "mortal", the person must make the decision to sin with eyes wide open without any impairments in his ability to freely choose. If any impediments are present, such as depression, extreme duress, or mental illness, then the person cannot really make a free decision and may be excused to one degree or another by God for his sin.

This is the reason that the Church does not reject Christian suicides for funeral Masses or to be buried in a Christian cemetery as she did in times past. Once it was known that most suicides are a result of impaired emotions and thinking, it was clear that such persons were probably not freely making the decision, and thus may not be committing a mortal sin. Only God can know for sure, but Charity demands that we give these poor souls the benefit of the doubt.

Here is the Catechism on the subject of suicide:

Suicide

2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.

2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.

2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide. (my emphasis)

2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum